Afternoon tornado rips through downtown Caledonia

Monday

Nov 22, 2010 at 12:01 AMNov 22, 2010 at 9:17 PM

North Boone fire Chief Gale Worley was downtown with some of his volunteer firefighters, knocking on the doors of any homes with visible damage to check on residents. As of about 6 p.m., he knew of no serious injuries from the tornado that churned through Caledonia.

Flights diverted from Rockford
Weather caused four Chicago-bound flights — two from United Airlines, and one each from American and Southwest airlines — to be diverted to Chicago Rockford International Airport today.

Power back to traffic lights
Power to all traffic lights in Loves Park had been restored by about 5:45 p.m., although lights along major roads — including Riverside Boulevard and Forest Hills and Alpine roads — had been knocked out earlier in the day.

Caledonia: No serious injuries so far
As night fell this evening, Caledonia was cloaked in complete darkness.

North Boone fire Chief Gale Worley was downtown with some of his volunteer firefighters, knocking on the doors of any homes with visible damage to check on residents. As of about 6 p.m., he knew of no serious injuries from the tornado that churned through the tiny town.

The worst damage, he said, was to the town center.

“It looked like (the tornado) just came right down Main Street,” he said.

The highest priority, he said, was getting touch with the utility companies to get power and phone lines up and running.

Back at his station, North Boone Fire Protection District 3 on Main Street in Caledonia — in sight of a grain bin that sustained heavy damage, spilling grain out onto the road — Boone County Board Chairman Bob Walberg was out surveying the damage, saying area officials expect to determine by Tuesday whether to ask for state or federal disaster funds.

And across the street, the township hall had been demolished.

Heavy storms knocked down this backyard tree at Wendy Ball’s home on Randolph Street in Caledonia, causing damage to her garage. Her son, Ross, was inside an RV parked outside when the storm passed.

“It was like a windy vacuum cleaner,” said Ross Ball, 28.

The storm had passed by the time he made it out of the vehicle and inside the house.

The heavy wind toppled trees, causing heavy damage to Caledonia village Trustee Mary Walraven’s home on Main Street. Damage from fallen tree limbs also struck the Chevy Blazer parked in her driveway.

“Our kids grew up here,” she said. “I don’t know if we can live in it or not anymore.”

American Red Cross officials will provide food, water and bedding for tornado victims at North Boone Fire District 3 Station, 305 W. Grove St. in Poplar Grove.

Drivers and walkers in the area need to keep an eye out for downed power lines, which could still be live, and drivers need to keep their eyes peeled for storm debris on the road, Worley said.

Police confirm children in bus hit by tornado
Police say a Rockford School District bus driver and five children escaped a brush with a tornado this afternoon without injury.

The bus traveling near Harlem and Argyle roads fell on its side as a tornado touched down near that intersection shortly after 3 p.m. As many as four of the children on the bus complained of minor back pains as they were evacuated from the bus.

The storm toppled power lines and trees, but there have been no other reports of injuries. ComEd is dealing with widespread power outages in the aftermath of the storm.

About 42,200 customers had lost power from northern Winnebago County east to Belvidere by mid-afternoon, said to Paul Callighan, ComEd spokesman.

“This is a major damage to our systems,” Callighan said. “We’re assessing the needs right now for what needs to be done to get power restored.”

The tornado knocked out high voltage transmission lines that serve four substations, knocking out power to customers in Machesney Park, Loves Park, Roscoe and Rockford. But as of 4:30 p.m., power had been restored to three substations, although as many as 20,000 customers were still without power, he said.

“We could still have other problems with lines that go out to homes and businesses,” he said.

Traffic lights are out along Forest Hills Road north of the North Second Street interchange, and traffic on Forest Hills is backed up. Traffic on East Riverside Boulevard also is backed up because the power outage has knocked out the stoplights.

Police and fire officials are going door-to-door in residential areas along Argyle Road to make sure no one is hurt. Boone County Sheriff’s deputies also have blocked traffic access to many roads in Caledonia.

Emergency responders are staging near Interstate 90 and Riverside Boulevard. Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

Loves Park city officials have canceled tonight’s City Council meeting because of the power outage.

American Red Cross sets up shelter
American Red Cross officials will provide food, water and bedding for tornado victims at North Boone Fire District 3 Station, 305 W. Grove St. in Poplar Grove.

Heavy storms knocked down this backyard tree at Wendy Ball’s home on Randolph Street in Caledonia, causing damage to her garage. Her son, Ross, was inside the RV when the storm passed.

“It was like a windy vacuum cleaner,” said Ross Ball, 28.

The storm had passed by the time he made it out of the vehicle and inside the house.

The heavy wind toppled trees, causing heavy damage to Caledonia village Trustee Mary Walraven’s home on Main Street. Damage from fallen tree limbs also struck the Chevy Blazer parked in her driveway.

“Our kids grew up here,” she said. “I don’t know if we can live in it or not
anymore.”

North Park fire chief sees tornado
North Park fire Chief Steve Pearson was traveling east on Harlem Road, headed for home, when he saw the tornado on the ground.

Pearson saw wood debris flying in the air and watched as the strong winds took down four high voltage power lines, one after another, he said.

He phoned Winnebago County emergency responders and asked them to activate the county’s emergency warning sirens and told them about the Rockford School District bus that had flipped on its side at Harlem and Argyle roads. Only after all that did he hear the county’s warning sirens ring out.

“It’s been difficult to get emergency crews to the scene because of the downed power lines and debris,” he said.

Tornado watch for Boone, Ogle, Winnebago counties
ROCKFORD — The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch until 6 p.m. for more than three dozen Illinois counties, including Winnebago, Boone and Ogle.

The warm and moist atmosphere will create conditions ripe for thunderstorms today.

Today will be cloudy with a high temperature near 59 degrees and breezy, with a southwest wind around 20 mph. Showers and thunderstorms are likely after 1 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 59. Rainfall amounts of less than a 10th of an inch are expected, but higher amounts possible in areas hit by thunderstorms.

Tonight will be cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 26. A west northwest wind will blow between 10 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.